Theatrical scenery.



No. 843,583. PATENTED FEB. l2, 1907. L. J. CARTER.

THEATRIGAL' SGENERY.

'APPLICATION FILED JULY2.1so5.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IE E l] E3 d ffi.,

PATENTED H3312 L'. J. CARTER. THEATRIGAL SGENBRY.

APPLICATION ILED JULY28,195.

/2- m mun n m m/KE sHmm-ar'. n, c,

THE: Non

narra srnrns Parana muon THEATRICAL SCENERY.

Specication of Letters Patent.

. :Patented Feb. 12, 190.7. v

Application filed July 28,1905. Serial No. 271.577.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, LINCOLN J. CARTER., a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Movable Theatrical Scenery, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in theatrical scenery formed of an endless scenic curtain or curtains movably supported in an endless track or tracks and provided with mechanism for driving each of the curtains.

The object of my invention is to provide an endless movable scenic curtain mechanism for theaters with simple, economical, and el'l'icient supporting and driving mechanism.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a suspended scenic curtain driving and supporting mechanism as it appears when constructed in accordance with these improvements; Fig. 2, a detail view of the upper sheet-metal portion of one of the curtains, showing the perforations therein; Fig. 3, a sectional view taken on line 3 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4, a plan view of one end of a second outer curtain and its supportingtrack 3 Fig. 5, a sectional elevation in detail taken on line 5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 6, a sectional elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4, taken on line 6 of said figure looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 7, a detail elevation of the upper portion of the curtain shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6.

In a scenic apparatus constructed in accordance with these improvements I prefer to use one or more endless curtains arranged in nests or sets, the construction and arrangement of which will be hereinafter more fuly described.

Describing one of the curtains-preferably the inner one-I prefer, and, indeed, intend to make it in an endless form, so as to carry out the desirable features which I `have vin mind, and in two portions-that is, a composite curtain formed of a lower flexible relatively soft portion a, preferably formed of textile fabric on which is imprinted, impressed, or secured in any way images, pictures, or representations of any desired object, and an upper endless flexible sheet-metal portion d, that forms the supporting and intermediate driving member, all of which will more fully y hereinafter appear. These two portions-the lower teXtile fabric portion and the upper relatively harder or sheet-metal portion-are secured together, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in any desired manner, so as to form, for all practical purposes, a continuous curtain, and theupper portion, which also `forms an intermediate driving member for the curtain, is provided with a number of perforations 7c, through which the gear mechanism, hereinafter described, is engaged with the curtain to operate or drive the same. To support this curtain in the desired manner, a vloop h is provided, formed of a series of tubes connected together in a continuous manner and slitted on the under side, as at e, and as shown particularly in Fig. 3. 'The upper end of' the sheet-metal portion of the curtain is passed through the slitted tube or track portion and inside thereof and is yprovided with a series of wheels b and c, secured thereto in any desired way, so as to bear and roll upon the interior of such slitted tube or track portion, as at f and g. By this arrangement it will be seen that the curtain may be moved around in any desired path, according to the form of the supporting loop or track h. 'To drive or move this endless curtain in the desired manner, and preferably independent of its supporting trolley-wheels, a sprocketwheel Z is provided and secured to and mounted upon a suitable/shaft 0 at right angles to the plane of the tube. The teeth m of this sprocket-wheel are of such a size and so arranged that they enter perforations in the sheet-metal portion of the belt, so that when the driving-shaft 0 is rotated the ybelt is driven in the desired way. It will 'be vunderstood that while I have shown vbut one of these driving sprocket-wheels, and but one series of perforations lin the sheet-metal portion of the curtain, that two or more driving sprocket-wheels and two or more series of perforations in the belt may be provided, yas circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

To .prevent the curtain from sagging at its point of engagement with the driving sprocket-wheel, and to hold it in connection therewith, a guiding-block r is provided, which is opposite such point and on the outside of the IOO IIO

belt. This guiding-block is held in its position by means of a bracket q, riveted, as at s, to the tubular track and extended u wardly and inwardly so as to engage with t 1e upper ortion of the driving-shaft o and form a caring-point therefor. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) The loop or tubular track portion 7L is provided with a plurality of brackets or clip portions i, having socket portions j at the point of engagement with the track, so that they may be connected to any suitable supporting-framework. (Not shown.)

it will thus be seen that I have provided a continuous composite curtain formed of two parts-a lower textile or soft-fabric portion and an upper relatively harder or sheetmetal portion, which forms substantially a continuous portion thereof, and thus eispenses with the use of chains, links, or similar elements and by which I am enabled to drive the curtain when it is in a comparatively loose condition and without any danger thereto, which might be the case if the upper portion was formed of fabric or an articulated member or members. It is also desirable in some instances to provide one or more extra curtains, so that any of such curtains may be arranged to travel at a rate of speed different from the other, and thus enable objects, mechanism, or actors to occupy the space between the different curtains. In order to do this, a second curtain 2 is mounted outside of and so as to encircle the abovedescribed curtain a. This outer curtain is also formed of two parts-a relatively soft fabric portion 2 and an upper inner sheetmetal or relatively harder portion 11, which is secured thereto inside of the upper ed ge of the soft portion, as shown particularly in Fig. 6. By this arrangement the sheetmetal part is entirely obscured, rendering it comparatively easy to fix any desired object orpicture thereto. The sheet-metal part is also provided with a series of perforations 12, adapted to be engaged by the teeth 17 of a second driving sprocket-wheel 16, mounted upon a driving-shaft 18, as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 5. To prevent this portion of the curtain from sagging, as well as to keep it in operative engagement with the driving sprocket-wheel, a pair of guiding wheels or pulleys 21 are provided and mounted upon a standard or post 19, so as to straddle or span the point where the sheet-metal portion of the curtain engages with the driving sprocket-Wheel, as shown particularly in Fig. 5. This standard or post is braced by means of the stay-rods 20, so as tohold itin eflicicnt operative position. To support this second curtain in the desired operative position, a track 3 is provided and arranged. in the shape of a loop, part of which onlyT is shown, so as to encircle the inner loop or track h, and this track is supported in position by means of a framework formed of an upright part or parts 5 and a base portion 6, strengthened by means of diagonally-arranged stay-rods 7 and 8. The sheet-inetal portion of the curtain is provided withaplurality of grooved trolley wheels or rollers 4,

secured thereto in any desired way, so as to stradale the track portion, as shown particularly in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. When desired, a metal reinforcing strap or strap portions 13 may be provided to strengthen the sheetmetal portion of this secondI curtain at the point where the trolley-wheels are secured thereto-that is, where the trunnicns 14 of said trolley-wheels are secured thereto. It will be seen that by this arrangement the sheet-metal portion of this outer curtain extenus to and above the supporting trolley and track mechanisms, eifectually hidingthe same from view, while at the same time affording an efficientupporting and intermediary driving means. Different prime movers may be used to operate these two driving-shafts o and 18, or a single prime mover may be connected therewith in any esired manner, (not shown,) so as to drive each,of the belts at a speed different from the other when circumstances make it desirable or necessary, all of which will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

l claim- 1. In an apparatus of the class described, an endless curtain composed of two continuous sheet portions suitably united together, and means engaging one of the portions for driving and operating the curtain.

2. ln an apparatus ofthe class described, an endles curtain the body of which is composed of two parts--a lower continuous relatively soft sheet portion and an upper continuous relatively hard sheet portion secured thereto, and means engaging the relatively hard sheet portion for drivin and operating the curtain, substantially as c escribed.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, an endless sheet-curtain the body of which is formed of a lower relatively soft sheet portion and of an upper relatively hard sheet portion provided with a series ofperforations, and gear mechanism engaging the perforations in the sheet-metal portion for driving and operatinv the curtain, substantially as describe 4. ln an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a loop or track portion formed of an endless tube slitted on its under side, an endless sheet-curtain the body of which is formed of a lower relatively soft fabric portion and of an upper sheet portion of relatively hard material extending in throu h the slitted portion of the track and provi ed with a serles of perforations, roller mechanism secured to the sheet-metal portion of the curtain inside the tubular track portion so as to support said curtain, and gear mechanism engaging the perforations in IOC .lIO

the sheet-metal portion of the curtain for driving and operating the same, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of an endless curtain the body of which is formed of two parts-a lower relatively soft portion and an upper portion of relatively hard material having perforations therein, means for movably suspending said curtain, a toothed sprocketwheel in engagement with the perforations in the sheet-metal portion of the endless curtain, and guiding mechanism contacting the opposite side of the curtain and adjacent the teeth of said sprocket-wheel to hold the sheet-metal portion of the curtain in operative engagement therewith, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of an endless composite curtain the body of which is formed of a relatively soft fabric lower portion and of a sheet-metal relatively hard upper portion said upper portion being suitably perforated, means for movably supporting said curtain in position, a sprocket-wheel having its teeth in engagment with the perforations in the sheetmetal portion of the curtain for driving the same, and a pair of guiding wheels or rolls contacting with the side of the curtain opposite the toothed sprocket-wheel and straddling the perforations in the said metal portion of the curtain for holding the same in operative engagement with the sprocketwheel, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a loop formed of a hollow tubular track portion slitted on its under side, an endless curtain portion formed of a lower relatively soft fabric portion and an upper sheet-metal portion extending in through the'l slitted portion of the circular track and provided with a series of perforations, a plurality of supporting trolley-wheels secured to the sheet-metal portions inside of the tubular track, sprocket-wheel lmechanism having its teeth in engagement with the perforations of the sheet-metal portion of the curtain for driving and operating the same, an outer curtain formed of an upper perforated sheetmetal portion, an outer depending continuous portion formed of relatively softer fabric forming the face portion of such curtain, a track arranged inside of and below the upper edge of the sheet-metal portion of said curtain, trolley-wheels secured to the inner side of said sheet-metal portion and resting upon said track, and a toothed sprocket-Wheel engaging the perforations of the sheet-metal portion for driving and operating the curtain, substantially as described.

LINCOLN J. CARTER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, HARRY IRWIN CROMER. 

